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Driver in accident charged with DWI
by St. Joseph News-Press
Saturday, October 31, 2009
A Missouri State Highway patrolman and tow-truck driver tend to a passenger car that was traveling North on Interstate 29 and crossed the median, striking a tractor-trailer traveling southbound between the Faraon Street and Mitchell Avenue overpasses. The driver of the passenger car was taken into custody.

Photo by CoCo Walters / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

A Missouri State Highway patrolman and tow-truck driver tend to a passenger car that was traveling North on Interstate 29 and crossed the median, striking a tractor-trailer traveling southbound between the Faraon Street and Mitchell Avenue overpasses. The driver of the passenger car was taken into custody.

A woman faces driving while intoxicated charges following a two-vehicle accident Friday morning on Interstate 29, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

The accident occurred as a car driven by 30-year-old Veronica Flores-Cuevas of Kansas City lost control and went into the median between Frederick Boulevard and Faraon Street.

The car, which was northbound, crossed the median and struck a southbound truck driven by Nathan Weise of Olds, Iowa.

The woman was checked out by paramedics but did not need treatment. The truck driver was not hurt, either.

The patrol said Ms. Flores-Cuevas was arrested and faces DWI charges. The accident happened around 10 a.m.

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duckie October 31, 2009 at 6:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

drunk at 10 am loser hope they hammer u

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southpride October 31, 2009 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

you took the words right from my mouth duckie. i thought people awoke and got a glass of water, did the clear appearence of the vodka confuse her? naw, just another example of man made liquid destruction. people never seize to baffle me. on a nicer note, atleast the male wasnt injured, not a usuall outcome for this nature of case.

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10377586 October 31, 2009 at 7:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Keep in mind these people are sharing the road with our families. We need to turn every one of them in with a location, street, direction of travel, description of vehicle, driver and license number if at all possible and be willing to sign a complaint. It seems like lots of trouble until you lose a loved one to an impaired driver.

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CeCe October 31, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Good God 10 AM??? Let this be a wake up call for this woman. If you're that loaded at 10 AM you might have a problem. You especially have a problem if you're that loaded and think its okay to DRIVE.

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heritage_sarahhochschwender October 31, 2009 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

this could have been a tragedy of such magnitude. only luck, the skill of the truck driver, and perhaps providence saved this woman. get yourself to a meeting, ms. flores-cuevas. you won't get another chance like this.

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donaldo October 31, 2009 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

dang, and i was a drunk and don't remember being drunk before noon. i was a professional drunk and she out did me! this cant happen this day and age, she needs help and privilege removal , she wont learn without it.

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mrwench October 31, 2009 at 12:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Isn't nice to see the median cables couldn't stop a 2,500 pound vehicle,at a cost of $140,000 a mile you would think it would work.I-70 has a 94% success rate stopping vehicles, the I-29 cables are down in a ditch and the bottom cable is buried in dirt, makes it easy for cars to drive right over the top of them.Do you seriously think this will stop a 18 wheeler,ha.

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LibertyOrDeath October 31, 2009 at 1:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

First of all let's not act like people working 8am to 5pm are the only type of workers out there. As a former 3rd shifter I killed many a beer well before noon.

I'm not saying that is the case here but nothing has shown it isn't. Did she drive drunk? Apparently. Is she a raging alcoholic who gets tanked before noon? I don't see where anyone could come to that conclusion.

MrWrench, yes - I do. I've seen tractor trailers neatly wrapped in those cables safely in the median. I'm on the highways every day in Northwest Missouri. Those cables are one of the smartest investments I've ever seen a government make... and they actually work.

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mrwench October 31, 2009 at 2:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Did they work here? this time? NO.
They Failed.

My point was and still is, they work when they are installed properly ie: I-70, on I-29 form Frederick to the corner before Platte City they are in a ditch/trench, the median is too narrow and deep .And they could not stop a Ford Focus which, yet you seem to think they can stop a Semi.

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mrwench October 31, 2009 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

From WiKi,

A major problem alleged, that reduces the effectiveness of cable barriers, is the installation below grade, especially around slopes or dips[10]. Without any compensation for a slope in the median, a car can actually jump the top of a barrier, and therefore be exposed to a potential cross-over collision[11]. Litigation has arisen in Arizona regarding the improper installation of cable barriers[12]. One wrongful death suit resulted in a one million dollar settlement with the state[13]. In Washington state, numerous letters were submitted to the state Department of Transportation complaining of cable barrier installation[14].

There is/was NO compensation for the slope of the median ie: grade work or taller cable post.

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LibertyOrDeath October 31, 2009 at 2:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You're telling me I've never seen a semi wrapped up in the cable in the median?

Seriously?

Since they've been installed I've seen more cars AND semi's wrapped up in them than oncoming collisions. Personally, not statistically speaking. I'm also not saying there aren't flaws but you're not going to tell me what I have and haven't seen with my own two eyes.

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helter October 31, 2009 at 4:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Not sure but I believe last week they were replacing the cables through that area might be that there was no cable where she went across though there is cable in the background in the picture

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donaldo October 31, 2009 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lod, you are correct, i myself have worked third shift and slammed a few beers before going to bed . i had a drinking problem and would bet that she does too.when was it our conclusion to come to about anyone else? it sure isn't my job to get involved with another drunks life. I'm not a counselor, not responsible for others. but i bet she has a drinking problem. anyway she has a problem now!

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